-I" 


^^ 


/ETHELINE  B.  PILLSBUKY 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


\ 


(Eamera  a«b  {fen 


and  (EopgrlgJjtsi,  ISflB.  by 


ffiablanb,  (Eal. 


ERE  there  no  Yosemite  with  its  wealth  heaped  on 
wealth  of  sight  and  sound  and  feeling,  were  skirt 
ing  along  the  margin  of  the  beautiful  River  of 
Mercy,  the  only  end  in  view,  even  then  this  trip  would  be 
a  joy  to  remember. 

Leaving  the  plains  country  at  Merced,  where  the  Yosemite 
Valley  Railroad  connects  with  the  Southern  Pacific  and 
Santa  Fe  routes,  one  enters  the  Qanyon  of  the  Merced  and 
begins  the  ascent  to  El  Portal,  the  Gateway  to  Yosemite, 
eighty-five  miles  distant.  Nearly  eighty-five  miles  of 
beauty — low  farming  land  and  an  occasional  vineyard,  on 
to  the  foothills,  then  the  Canyon,  rugged,  or  low-lying  with 
its  ever  changing,  fascinating  river,  sometimes  dashing, 
white,  angry,  sometimes  dimpling,  limpid,  seductive  as  it  is 
in  all  its  length.  We  are  always  in  friendly  touch,  now 
beside  it,  then  far  above  looking  straight  down  into  its  allur 
ing  emerald  depths  and  shadows. 

It  is  a  matter  for  congratulation  that  owing  to  the  grades 
and  sharp  turns  in  the  track  we  must  jaunt  along  at  a 
leisurely  pace  over  this  part  of  pur  journey,  particularly 
that  portion  taking  us  through  and  past  the  scenes  of  the 
early  mining  excitements. 


7-7   I  "7 


D 


In  and  out,  on  this  crooked  track. 

We.  seem  to  go  forward*  and  then  to  go  bacft 


^f*'  ERE  at  El  Portal  the  river  seems  a  less  dominant 
note,  the  mountains  making  a  greater  claim  on  our 
attention.  The  night  spent  at  El  Portal  will  be  a 
pleasure  to  remember,  and  the  start  to  the  valley  in  the  cool, 
fresh  morning  air  promises  great  things  of  the  pleasures  yet  to 
come. 

Cultivate  your  stagedriver.  He  may  tell  you  things  like 
these:  That  in  1851  the  Yosemite  was  first  entered  by 
white  men,  by  Major  Savage  and  Captain  Boling,  Com 
manding  Mariposa  Battalion,  in  pursuit  of  troublesome 
Indians  ;  that  the  first  party  of  tourists  visited  -the  Valley 
under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  Hutchings,  to  whom  credit  must 
be  given  for  giving  to  the  world  the  first  news  of  its  wonders 
in  1855.  These  and  many  other  things  he  may  tell  you, 
b«t,  in  the  language  of  the  poet  (?) 


"Dot  not  tease  your  gentle  driver, 

For  he  has  been  known  to  josh, 
And  you  might  accept  as  truthful 
Some   things    that  are   simply 


And  ipfien  they  reach  the  end  of  the  route 
|         The  stage  pu//s  up  and  the  folf(s  step  out. 


>*p   NTERING  the  Valley  via  El  P9rtal  or  the  Coulter- 

ville  route,  the  first  fall  of  note  is  the  Cascade.     It 

,    is  at  this  fall,  about  six  miles  from  El  Portal,  that  we 

make  one  of  the  first  stops  and  get  our  sip  of  Adam's  Ale  of 

the  real  Yosemite  brew,  clear,  cool  and  sparkling. 

Here    we  experience  the  tin  cup  in  its  variety. 

Casca.de  Fall  is  approximately  six  hundred  feet  in  height, 
and  is,  when  the  streams  are  running  full,  peculiarly  beauti 
ful  and[  charming  from  the  mist  and  spray  which  fills  its 
little  canyon  and  often  envelopes  its  sides,  giving  the  impres 
sion  of  a  phantom  cataract. 

The  eight-mile  drive  from  the  Cascades  to  the  village  is 
wonderfully  interesting- — a  panoramic  view  of  wonders  to 
which  we  return  to  absorb,  feature  by  feature. 


Hear  the  tintinnabulation  of  the  cup. 
As  the  thirsty  beasts  and  human  sup 
Adam's  Ale  for  all  &ho  wish  it. 
Although  only  tin  to  dish  it; 
Just  listen  to  the  jingling  of  the  cup!. 


over  the  Wawona  road,  leaving  Inspiration 
Point  with  its  shock  of  awakening,  and  driving  on 
down  the  grade  two  miles,  one  stops  at  Artists*  Point. 
This  is  a  place  much  loved  and  frequented  by  artists— -brush, 
camera,  or  pen — for  here  is  the  best  scenic  composition. 

Stretching  away  to  the  eastward  is  the  flat,  narrow 
valley,  varying  in  width  from  one-half  to  one  mile,  and  in 
its  entire  length  about  eight  miles.  The  emerald  Merced 
is  seen  curving  in  and  out  through  nearly  six  miles  of  its 
course. 

Many  interesting  points  of  difference  between  this  and 
Other  known  valleys  are  here  strikingly  apparent.  The  great 
height  of  the  walls,  not  only  real,  but  comparative  with  its 
width,  the  remarkable  clearness  of  outline,  and  the  near 
verticality  of  the  walls  are  here  most  impressive^ 

Not  the  least  of  the  fascination  of  the  view  from  this 
point  is  its  coloring — not  from  intensity  of  color,  but  from 
the  contrast  of  the  light  gray,  peculiarly  luminous  walls 
with  the  green  and  an  occasional  blur  of  other  color,  of  its 
pines,  firs,  oaks,  and  low-growing  shrubs  and  flowers. 

"Behind  me  lay   the  forests  hushed  with  deep, 

Above  me,  in  its  granite  majesty. 
Sphinx-like*  the  peaf?  thro'  silent  centuries 

Met  the  eternal  question  of  the  s£j>. 


In  the  araed  silence  of  this  dim,  high  place, 
One  fyeeping  vigil  might  not  fear,  indeed, 
If  it  befell  him  as  that  man  of  old. 

Who  in  the  mountain  met  Cod  face  to  face." 


RIVING  on  from  the  Cascades  into  the  Valley,  one 
feels,  for  the  first  time  since  leaving  El  Portal,  a 
sense  of  restful  enjoyment 

Leaving  the  mad,  racing  rapids,  whose  course  we  have 
followed  so  long,  we  emerge  from  the  semi-seclusion  of 
forest  and  low-growing  trees  and  shrubs  and  stop  to  absorb 
some  of  the  quiet  beauty  of  Bridal  Veil  Meadows.  Here 
we  get  the  general  view  of  the  Valley  for  the  first  time. 
Bridal  Veil  Fall,  Cathedral  Rocks,  Sentinel  Rock,  the 
top  of  Half  Dome,  to  the  right.  On  the  left,  the  huge 
El  Capitan  fills  the  picture. 

At  this  point  we  come  on  the  River  of  Mercy  in  one 
of  her  happiest  moods;  in  its  greater  width  it  spreads  out, 
limpid,  the  green  depths  emerging  into  blue  for  here  a  bit 
of  the  sky  is  brought  down,  an  azure  mirror  for  the  reflection 
of  the  "green  things  a-growing"  all  along  the  banks.  The 
beautiful,  fragrant  azaleas,  some  members  of  the  Fern 
family,  dogwood;  that  sweetest  of  our  flower  friends,  the 
wild  rose,  even  the  tall,  nodding  meadow  grasses  peep  into 
this  mirror  and  know  that  they  are  beautiful. 

Looking  on  from  this  peaceful  place,  the  sense  of  the 
grandeur  ahead  comes  to  us  as  a  strong  voice  calling  over 
a  deep  chasm — softened  by  distance,  but  losing  nothing  of 
its  quality. 


'*'••';'..     .     .     .     ,     .     and  a  s^y  so  lair 

Is  bending  above,  so  cloudless,  blue, 

That  you  gaze  and  you  gaze,  and  you  dream  and  J>«u 
See  God  and  the  portals  of  heaven  there." 

— Joaquin  Miller. 


ty^  L  CAPITAN,  the  Captain,  is  an  enormous  rock, 
rising  three  thousand  three  hundred  feet  above  the 
floor  of  the  Valley.  Even, among  the  high  Sierras, 
where  we  expect  huge,  concentric  masses  of  granite.  El  Capi* 
tan  is  unique,  its  great  height  and  clear-cut  profile  giving  it  a 
calm  majesty  never  seen  in  serrated  cliffs.  Its  tremendous 
proportions  are  almost  incomprehensible.  When  we  say 
that  on  its  face  is  an  area  equal  to  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  that  full-grown  pine  trees  seem  as  lichen  on  boulders, 
we  are  still  at  a  loss  to  grasp  its  true  proportions  in  the 
scheme  of  things.  While  it  is  possible  to  reach  the  top, 
climbing  up  a  trail  which  approaches  it  from  the  back,  the 
view  does  not  compensate  one. 

One  of  the  prettier  Indian  legends  centering  about  this 
huge  cliff  is  of  To-tau-kon-nu-la,  a  wise  and  much  loved 
chieftain  of  the  Ah-wah-nee-chees.  One  day  he  saw 
approaching  him  strangers  from  the  far  south,  a  people 
different  from  his,  bearing  gifts  and  greetings.  To-tau- 
kon-nu-la  had  built  for  them  a  dwelling,  and  Tis-sa:ack,  the 
lovely,  one  of  the  fair  strangers,  taught  the  women  of 
Ah-wah-nee  how  to  make  the  beautiful  baskets  still  made 
by  them.  So  charmed  was  the  chieftain  with  Tis-sa-ack 
that  he  wished  her  to  marry  him,  but  this  she  refused  to 
do,  disappearing  one  night.  Impelled  by  his  love  for  her, 
forgetting  his  people,  he  wandered  out  through  the  world, 
always  looking  for  her,  while  through  many  moons  his 
people  waited  and  mourned  for  him  who  never  came. 


Look  up  three  times.  A-  B.  C.  and  perhaps  D., 
If  to  the  very  top  you  really  wish  to  see. 
For  m  no  other  way  could  you  expect  to  scan 
The  topmost  heights  of  old  El  Capitan. 


*y^"ALLING  gently,  as  if  half  reluctant  to  leave  its 

I    .higher  estate,  Bridal  Veil  Fall  glides  over  the  clitf 

on  the  southern  wall,  a  distance  of  six  hundred  feet, 

then  in  half  cascades,  rather  more  than  three  hundred  feet,  to 

the  creek  Sowing  into  the  Merced  River. 

Its  name  suggests  the  character  of  the  Fall — soft,  filmy, 
veil-like,  caught  in  the  winds  that  always  play  through  its 
course,  it  is  swayed  and  coaxed  into  innumerable  phantom 
forms.  The  sighing  and  wailing  of  the  winds,  the  dash 
and  swirl  of  waters,  the  weird  fantastic  shapes  seemingly 
arising  from  its  sea  of  mist,  have  given  to  this  cataract, 

dashing  itself  to  death  in  the  semi-darkness,  the  name  of 

, 

Pohono,  meaning,  in  the  language  or  the  Yosemite  Indians, 
"Spirit  of  the  Evil  Wind." 

You  may  visit  Bridal  Veil  during  the  early  hours  of  the 
day  and  find  it  variously  fascinating,  but  remember  that 
between  half-past  three  and  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
it  is  at  its  beautify!  best,  for  at  this  time  the  sun  pays  one 
of  his  infrequent  visits,  and  .rainbows  add  glory  to  glory. 


Here  Is  a  beautiful,  filmy  veil 
And  gorgeous  jewels  galore 

For  the  maid  who  would  marry, 

I  pray  you  II  not  tarry 
But  haste  to  the  church  next  door. 


TANDING  out  at  their  greater  height,  but  con 
nected  at  the  base,  the  Cathedra!  Spires  form  a 
part  of  the  south  wall  of  the  Valley.  Seen  from 
some  viewpoints,  these  spires  seem  almostt  or  quite,  of  equal 
height,  but  there  is  in  reality  an  appreciable  difference,  the 
one  more  nearly  connected  with  the  wall  being  two  thousand 
six  hundred  and  seventy-eight,  the  other  two  thousand  five" 
hundred  and  seventy-nine  feet  high. 

Looking  from  the  hollow  between  the  two  highest  of  the 
"Three  Graces,"  the  effect  is  of  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
feet  of  solid  masonry,  topped  by  the  spires.  From  this  point 
the  illusion  of  an  enormous  cathedral  is  most  complete. 

The  effect  of  these  spires  varies  greatly  from  time  to 
time;  they  have  a  most  peculiar  way  of  sometimes  standing 
out  boldly,  a  clear-cut  jagged  outline  against  the  sky ;  some 
times  seeming  to  diminish  in  height  and  merge  into  the  walls. 
So  far  as  known,  the  Cathedral  Spires  are  practically  inac 
cessible,  but  the  walls  of  the  Cathedra]  itself  and  all  through 
that  vicinity  are  very  interesting,  suggesting  all  sorts  of 
hiding  places  for  goblins  and  gnomes,  or  perhaps  grizzlies 
and  Indians,  who  have  called  these  spires  roo-see-nah- 
Chuck-ka  on  account  of  their  fancied  resemblance  to  the 
acorn  store  baskets  of  these  people. 


Come  up,  come  nowf  ye 

youths  and  all 
Who  into  Hymen's  clasp 

would  fall,\ 
Here    maids    are,    her* 

church  is ; 
Why  shonld  you,  then, 

Wait  long  /or  riches  P 


HE  most  beautiful  distant  view  of  Yosemite  Falls  is 
from  Glacier  Point  trail  at  a  spot  seemingly  at  a 
height  equal  to  Yosemite's,  although  early  in  the  sea 
son,  when  the  river  overflows  its  banks,  the  falls  may  be  seen 
to  their  entire  length  in  reflection,  and  it  seems  that  nothing 
could  be  more  lovely  than  this  nearer  view. 

Up  in  the  Hoffman  group  of  mountains,  ten  miles  above 
the  top  of  Yosemite  Falls,  rises  Yosemite  Creek,  which 
gathers  volume  and  momentum  until  it  dashes  over  a 
dangerously  smooth  rock  at  the  head  of,  the  fall,  where  it  is 
thirty-five  feet  wide,  down  to  the  first  ledge,  sixteen  hundred 
feet  below.  From  here  on  is  a  series  of  cascades,  sometimes 
through  a  dark,  utterly  inaccessible  gorge,  sometimes  in 
bright  sunlight,  making  a  descent  equal  to  six  hundred  feet 
in  perpendicular;  then  comes  a  final  straight  leap  of  four 
hundred  feet  to  rocks,  and  brooks  and  femy  nooks,  for  the 
lower  part  of  the  fall  is  most  approachable  and  lures  one 
on  up  into  the  spray,  where  a  thorough  drenching  is  the 
worst  one  has  to  fear. 

There  is  a  theory  that  in  ages  past  these  three  parts  of 
the  cataract  fell  without  a  break,  in  one  sheer  drop,  the 
change  of  contour  being  due  to  erosion,  but  we  have  nothing 
to  regret  in  this  change,  for  surely  nothing  can  be  more 
inexpressibly  beautiful  and  impressive  than  the  variety  of 
this  fall.  In  the  first  fall  the  volume  of  water  seems  too 
great  to  permit  of  its  being  dashed  into  spray,  the  \vhole  .- 
stream  being  impelled  from  side  to  side  with  a  peculiar, 
vibratory,  pendulous  movement,  then  the  riot  of  cascades 
with  their  butterfly  rainbows,  then  the  final  plunge,  where  all 
the  little  canyon  is  shrouded  in  mist. 


the  mountains,    I  and 

have   tidings  from 
kah  would  go 
lied  "Cho-lack,  a; 
on  which  would  ! 

He  foot  of  the  cliff,  hop- 

.«ut  neither  lover  nor  arrow  brought 

With  c  mition  of  evil  ana 

*he  cJimi  acre 

tly  up  the 
Yosemite  Point.     Peering  over 


,ice,.    s«    saw 


ess  on  a  ledge,  far  beneath. 

mmoned  her  d  by  means  of  a 

and  deer  was  lowered 

mg  herself  on  his 

>ur'5t  ^>f  gfief, 

-•andered  out 

nting  Grounds  and  they  were  united,  even 


-*jy^-ALF     DOME,     North     Dome      and     Washington 

:alf  miles 

orth  Dome,  in  height, 

those  semi-circle  sc 

.rches, 

a  little  over  2,000  feet 
hing  much  interest  domes 

tvel^d  from 

o.ary  and  worn- 
;urden 

husband  carrying  a  staff  and  a  roll  of  blankets 
So  it  happened  that  Tis-$a-ak,  be< 

\Vater  (Mirror  Lake)  before  her 
id  being  thirsty,  drank  all  the  wafer  in  the  lake, 
husband  that  he  beat  her  cruelly.    She 
ind  when  he  followed,  and  continued  beatin 

:iim,  and  him  her  burden  basket,  woven 

with  ?  in  the  far  away  home  country.      For  this 

belligerent 

attitude,  turned  to  stone.     So  they  stand  to  this  da; 
lalf    Dor:  rough   cr 

l)«r  husband,  North 
•ridure  her 
•eet,and  is  even  now 
called  Basket  Dome. 


•c   p-  s. 
J&3i:'- 


^k-yO  ONE  need  forego  a  trip  into  Yosemite  VaHey  on 

unodation,  for  from 

the  time  one  the  new  and  spacious  hotel. 

El  Portal,  until  one  leaves  the  Valley,  good  and  adequate 
entertainment  is  assured.  At  the  Sentinel  Hotel,  which 
people  who  have  several  times  visited  the  Yosemite,  regard 
as  an  old  friend  and  land-mark,  comfort  is  assured.  If  the 
rather  les*  formal  life  of,  the  camps  is  desired,  there  is  Camp 
Curry,  Camp  Yosemite,  and  the  hew  ,  Yosemke  Valley 
Terminal  Company's  tamp.  The  Sentinel,  one  finds  quite 
in  the  midst  of  things,  while  each  of  the  camps  offers  some 
peculiarly  desirable  feature  in  relation  to  the  various  j 
of  interest.  The  Terminal  Camp  is  at  the  foot  of  the 
Glacier  Point  trail -near  the  .river  bank.  Camp  Curry  is  at 
the  base  of  Glacier  Point  and  Camp  Yosemite,  across  the 
river,  near  Yosemite  Falls.  Those  .  traveling  with  their 
own  ramping  outfits  have  only  to  apply  to  our  government's 
representative.  Major  Benson,  for  a  place  in  which  to  pitch 
their  tents;  for  this  there  is  no  charge. 

Gentle,  sure-footed  horses  and  burro*    with    competent 
guides  can  always  be  obtained  by  communicating  with  Mr. 
Kenney,   so  in  all   the  essential  points,   one's    comfo; 
thoughtfully  considered. 


Marty -people*  there  are*  both  ill  and  ai 


'  jest?) 
pgef  the 
4nd  Kenney,  the  rest 


YING    between    Washington    Column    and    North 
Dome  on  the  north  and  Half  Dome  on  the  south,  is 
.  one  of  the  joys  of  the  earth,  Mirror  Lake,  Ah-wei-ah 

nit  three  miles 

from  the  center  o  road  to  it  is  excellent, 

and  takes  one  through  the  extreme  eastern  end; 

By  all  means  see  the  lake  before  sunrise,  as  after  it  the 

illusion  of  a  perfect  mirror  is  lost.      Old. Sol  plays  some 

i  tricks  with  us  mere  mortals  as  we  watch  and  wait  for 

his   appearance.      Queerly  enough  in 'this  elfin  place  one 

does  not  look. up,  but  down,  to  catch  the  first  glimpse  of 

him,  peering  down  like  a  vain  old  satyr  into  the  mirror  he  is 

so  soon  to  shatter.     Watch  him  intently,  now  gliding,  now 

t  on   and  through  the  water,   then  look  up 

*nds,  and  my  word  for  il,  you  will  see  a 

halo  where  halo  never  was  before.     Nor  is  the  appeal  to 

the  sense  of  sight  the  only  one  made  in  this  strange  pi 

Halloo  or  yodel  and  your  voice  goes  wandering  over  the 

lake,  up  through  the  id  recesses  of  the  haunted 

T« 
cnciy3  canyon    corninc  nccx  hcttins  brick  to  YOU  < 


Here 'Went  out  to  gel  a  bite 
When  a  great  big  shaggy  grizzly 
Round  a  corner  came  in  sight. 


When  Bruin  met  his  warrior  bold 
He  straightway  showed  great  enmil\, 

The  chieftain  slew  him,  so  we're  told. 
And  for  this  was  named  Yosenjite. 


/CROSSING  the  bridge  over  tke  south  fork  of  the 

w|L   Merced,  near  the  foot  of  the  trail  leading  to  Nevada 

and  Vernal  Falls,  we  find  waiting  the  trail  animals, 

horses,  and  burros.     Here  mount  and  recrossing  the  bridge 

commence  the  climb 

Passing  the  power-house  of  the  Yosemite  electric  light 
plant,  and  crossing  on  a  log  bridge,  We  reach  the  Happy 
Isles,  loved  of  the.  leisurely  .beauty  seeker,  This  is  a  plaice 
peculiarly  inviting  to  rest,  for  here  are  sunshine  and 
shadow,  warm,  sheltered  nooks  among  the  rocks  or, mossy 
banks  and  trees  Campers,  particularly, 

will  find  this  a  beautiful  objective.  Bring  luncheon  and 
perhaps  a  good  book  for  here  one  loses  the  sense  of  the 
awf ul  impressiveness,  of  compelling  grandeur,  and  comes 
into  a  little  world  of  quiet  and  ;peace. 


3  g  1  g 


-S   E 


.s  -* 


•*-3:  -3  ^ 

•  C  ^  -fcf     " 


'ERE  all  the  snowy  white  and  azure  blue  satins, 
Is,  ali  the  diamond*  minecj  and 
polished  since  the  beginning  of  time,  .with  millions 
of  yards  of  the  fleeciest  tulle  woveh  into  one  gorgeous  tap- 
eslry,  it  must  suffer  in  comparison  with  this  wonderfully  beau 
tiful,  peculiarly  approachable  fall.  Pi-wa-ack,  the  Indians 
call  it-*— the  "Cataract  pf  Diamonds,"  about  three  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  high,  is  considered  by  many  the  most  beauti- 
all  in  the  Valley.,  It  is  two  miles  from' the  foot  of  the 
trail  and  may  be  seen  by  those  too  feeble  to  make  longer 
trips.  Every  foot  of  this  trail  holds  something  of  beauty 
and  interest.  Here  is  the  wonderful  Panoramic  Wall  of  the 
Merced,  a  sheer  cliff ,  rising  four  thousand  feet  iri  perjpendicu- 
lar  from  the  river.  The  look-out  at  Sierra  Point  is  near  this 
trail.  The  lovely  but  almost  inaccessible,  Illilouette  Falls, 
five  hundred  feet  high,  can  be  seen  also,  and  so  many  other 
points  of  beauty  that  a  very  long  day  could  be  profitably 
spent  between, the  Happy  Isles  and  Vernal  Kails. 


See  thin  line  of  people 

Come  here  this  fall  to  sec 

They. cannot  seem  to  find  one  word 
So  n>/ry,  /  pray,  should  we? 


•HETHER  you  have  come  up  through   the  mists 
over  the  Granite  Stairway,  or  have  ridden  over  the 
'<>..  -er  trail  to  the  top  of  Vernal  Fall,  you  leave  this 
incomparable  tning  in  its  perfect  environment  with  reluctance. 
Passing  on,   one   looks   down,  into   the   cpol   depths  of 
raid  Pool,   stops  beside  the  Silver  Apron,   that  swift 
\rls  and  diamonds,  passes  the  Diamond 
Cascade  and  soon  reaches  the  foot  of  Nevada  Fall,  where 
the  ion,  Gasa  Nevada,  used  to  be.     The  luncheon  hour  is 
spent  here.      Continuing,   one  ascends  the  * 'zigzags,"   and 
never  forgets  them. 

At  the  top  of  Nevada  is  a  plateau,  with  all  sorts  of 

sunny  corners  inviting  to  rest,  but  we  all  seem  inoculated 

with  the  spirit  of  unrest  and  there  is  no  peace  or  thought  of 

other  things  until  we  have^  leaned  over  the  iron  railing  and 

;d  down  into  the  seething  caldron,  a  mad  riot  of  un- 

ollable  forces  impelling  the  river  o^  'rik  of  a 

precipice  six  hundred  feet  in  Heigh : 

Liberty  Cap,  too,  is  hear  Nevada  Falls,  as  is  the  Little 
Yosemite,  beloved  of  fishermen,  through  which  you  pass  on 
the  six-mile  trip  to  Cloud's  P  - 


Upon  my  word,  I  almost  think 

I  see  this  little  burro  wink 
As  he  pauses  on  the  very  brink 

Of  this  high  precipice. 

But  let  our  tourist  never  fear 

\tthomfa  the  beastie  goes  so  near 
Hetonly  means  to  change  his  gait 

•id :  hopes  to  shift  a  heavy  weight. 


'^•»rH].  al   trips 'to   I  '"torn  Glacier 

VrLl    ^ 

the  Valley  ana  adjacent  mountains,  two  and  a 

half  miles  to  the  the 'new  Pohono 

trail  wit \  .<A    views    already 

•rent  points.     All  these  and  more  should 

me  is  limited, 

n  the  hotel  (only 

the  overhanging  rock, 

ill  at  a  height  of  three  thousand, 

-undred  arid  1;  bove  the  Valley. 

rock,  which  seems  to  have  so  successfully  overcome 
•;f  gravitation  for  countless  year's,  is  a  nearly  flat 

nine  feet  nlthough 

dered  quite  safe  for  two  or  three  people  to  stand  on  it 

be  one  of  a  larger  number.  , 

he   best  rom   the 

lower  overhanging  >--five  yards  down  the 

trail  toward  the  floor  of  the  valley 

On  the  leclg;  his  rock,  if  your. 

a  thotley 

iuncheon  boxes  in 
•ods   and 

1  about,  "pointing 
ty  adorning  a  tale. 


ill  you  step  out  on  mp  sun 
My  very  dear  Gasion?" 

would,  and  thank  you  £i'm/fy, 
//  /  wished  to  be  passed  on." 


F  YOUR  time  is  very  limited,  if  you  can  make  but 
one  trail,  let  that  be  Glacier  Point.  I  walked  the 
entire  distance  from  the  center  of  the  Valley  to  the 
very  pleasant,  homelike  inn  over  which  Mrs.  Lewi*  so  hos 
pitably  presides,  and  could  truthfully  say,  with  Mama 

Squirrel. 

'7'm  glad  I'm  here." 

It  seems  impossible  that  from  any  other  spot  in  the 
world,  can  be  seen  such  a  panorama—— in  the  distance  the 
vast  expanse  of  the  high  (or  higher)  Sierras,  then  nearer, 
Half  Dome,  Cloud's  Rest,  Liberty  Gap,  Mt.  Lyell,  Mt. 
Glark,  Mt.  Starr  King,  and  many  other  peaks  and  crags, 
each  one  a  marvel,  varying  with  its  illumination  and  change 
of  viewpoint.  Yosemite  Falls,  too,  forms  part  of  this  wonder 
ful  view,  while  to  the  northeast  one  looks  away  into  the 
Weird,  inaccessible  crannies  of  the  Teneiya  Ganyon.  Di 
rectly  east,  is  the  imperial  Nevada  Falls,  like  a  resplendent 
white  peacock  trailing  its  snowy  plumage  over  the  face  of 
the  wall,  while  farther  down,  the  more  companionable 
Vernal  Falls  glides  into  its  lower  depths. 

By  moonlight,  this  view  is  bewitching;  by  day,  a  golden 
memory;  but  what  words  have  we,  when  in  the  early  morn 
ing  we  see  this  grandeur  as  through  a  veil  of  rose,  crimson, 
gold  and  amethyst? 


*    .     c 
••  ,«2  — ^    ? 

1*. S  * 


CO 


5   "o   "o  "^ 

&S  M.e 

c^rlr 


CO 


OUNDLESSLY  rich  as  is  Yosemite  in  form,  in 
color,  and  the  absence  of  it,  in  mass  heaped  on  mass, 
of  tremendous  proportion,  in  the  appeal  of  the  beau 
tiful  in  every  part  of  the  Valley,  to  see,  from  above  the 
clouds,  the  sun  sink  below  the  western  level  is  one  of  the  com 
pensations.  Not  more  beautiful,  perhaps,  than  other  sunsets 
— -nothing  could  be  more  glorious  than  when  old  Sol  makes 
his  adieux,  on  many  other  days,  leaving  a  trail  of  prismatic 
splendor,  or  throws  a  marvelous  crimson  mantle  over  dome 
and  crag. 

In  this  sunset  above  the  clouds  on  February  22,  1908, 
there  is  no  miracle  of  color.  Looking  down  from  the 
Glacier  Point  trail,  a  little  way  above  Moran  Point,  the 
Valley  is  entirely  filled  with  billows  of  softest,  fleeciest 
white.  White  is,  in  fact,  a  predominant  note,  for  there  had 
been  a  retent  fall  of  snow,  and  the  misty  clouds  made  the 
lace-like  frills  for  the  snowy  garments  of  the  hills. 

Nearest,  and  on  the  left,  the  grand  old  Sentinel  Rock 
stands  guard,  while  on  the  right,  El  Capitan  stands  head 
and  shoulders  above  the  clouds  and  yet  more  clouds,  until 
the  sense  of  sight  is  lost  in  the  feeling  of  lurid,  luminous 
immensity— a  light  that  never  was,  on  land  or  sea. 


<*JTHE  Mariposa  Grove  of  Big  Trees  is  of  such  general 
111  interest  to  travelers  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  that 
a  trip  into  the  Yosemrte  seems  incomplete  without  a 
jaunt  over  to  this  other  corner  of  the  Yosemite  National  Park. 
Perhaps  the  most  interesting  route  is  that  via  Glacier  Point, 
over  the  Chinquapin  wagon  road,  which  bears'  off  to  the 
left,  taking  you  through  about  five  miles  of  this  peculiar, 
tough,  wiry,  green  Chinquapin  brush.  Emerging  from  this 
cut-off,  one  goes  on  to  beautiful  Wawona  on -the  stage  road. 
You  will  be  fortunate,  indeed,  if  your  time  allows  of  a 
stop-over  at  Wawona,  for  here  is  charm  and  beauty  and 
comfort  to  tempt  you  to  a  long  stay.  On  eight  miles  beyond 
Wawona  is  the  grove  of  what  Colonel  Irish  has  called  "the 
oldest  vegetable  citizens  in  the  world,"  the  Mariposa  Big 
Trees,  discovered  by  Mr.  Galen  Clark  in  May  of  1857. 

There  are  606  of  these  veterans  in  this  grove,  or  in 
these  two  groves,  which  are  one  mile  apart.  Although 
these  monsters  seem  indiginous  to  so  small  a  section  of  our 
State,  the  Sequoia  Gigantea  thrives  aind  makes  rapid  growth 
in  many  parts  of  America  and  other  countries,  the  climate 
of  England  being  peculiarly  friendly  to  it. 

By  actual  count  some  of  these  trees  nave  been  found  to 
be  ffom  1,300  to  2,200  years  old,  seemingly  everlasting 
unless  destroyed  by  lightning,  fire,  or  uprooted  by  high' 
winds. 

Of  course  the  patriarch  of  this  community  is  the  Grizzly 
Giant,  a  t'rifle  over  93  feet  around  on  the  ground  and  285 
feet  in  height. 

A  day  is  not  too  much  time  to  devote  to  the  grove,  where 
are  hundreds  of  the  beautiful  and  interesting  crimson  snow 
plants,  very  jealously  protected  by  the  Guardian  of  this  part 
of  Uncle  Sam's  domain. 


<*#£S' 


